THE Department of Trade and Industry-Export Marketing Bureau (DTI-EMB) led a Philippine delegation at the Brunei Halal Showcase (BruHAS) 2018 held from August 8 to 12, 2018, at the International Convention Center in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam.
The DTI-EMB organized the country’s participation in the fair to help bring raw materials, processed food and pharmaceutical products to new markets.
Exporters from the food-processing sector, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries who joined the Philippine delegation included Alter Trade Corp., Castillejos Agrifarms Inc., Edna and Rebecca’s Banana Chips and Coated Peanut, Fruits of Life Inc., Year Luck Food and Industrial Corp., Doxo Trading, Pasciolco International Inc., C and H Cosmetic Industry and Stadler Laboratories Inc.
BruHAS is an annual International Trade Expo that promotes awareness on the development of the local halal industry, promotion of halal products and support to entrepreneurs.
In April 2017 the Philippines and Brunei signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the Halal Industry and Halal Export Development and Promotion.
Strengthening its commitment to pursue strategic initiatives in advancing the local halal industry, Philippine officials, headed by DTI Undersecretary Abdulgani M. Macatoman, attended the joint committee meeting as part of the sideline activities of the country’s participation in that halal fair. The meeting aimed to establish a guide on the implementation of the MOU with the framework of responsibilities by both countries.
For 2018 the DTI aims to strengthen the role of the local halal industry to help foster economic growth. The industry has advanced its initiative by engaging and strengthening bilateral relations with key markets and partners. It has gained a multitude of support for the industry, which translated into policy reforms. In July this year, the DTI through its Philippine Accreditation Bureau, signed an MOU with the United Arab Emirates—Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology, which aims to ease the technical barriers on trade and enable bilateral trade between the Philippines and the UAE, particularly the halal products.
The DTI-EMB said the MoUs on the Halal Industry and Halal Export Development and Promotion prove to be the beginning of many possibilities for the country’s halal industry.